User fees and drugs: what did the health reforms in Zambia achieve?

User fees and drugs: what did the health reforms in Zambia achieve?

The article reports on exploratory research into the effects and prospects of health reforms in Zambia. The research, which was qualitative, was carried out in two rural and two urban health centres and their surrounding catchment populations. The authors focus on four principles of health reform: community involvement (including cost sharing), prevention, equity and quality of care. One of the...

Global Health Systems: Pricing and User Fees

This chapter is concerned with the issue of user fees (or user charges) for public health services. We discuss the implications of user fees for cost-e¤ectiveness, allocative e¢ ciency, equity, progressivity of public health care spending, and quality of service. Each of these is a desirable end in itself, and so each is an important factor in the optimal pricing decision. They are not always c...

No user fees, but perhaps user fees.

Who was James Lind, and what exactly did he achieve.

In the recent article ‘Who was James Lind, and what exactly did he achieve’, Iain Milne refers to John Woodall’s, the Surgeon General of the East India Company, book The Surgions Mate published in 1617. Woodall recommended ensuring that ‘There is a good quantity of lemon juice sent in each ship’. Bowen et al. in their book ‘Monsoon Traders: The maritime world of the East India Company’ recount ...

User fees impact access to healthcare for female children in rural Zambia.

The World Bank and International Monetary Fund favor healthcare user fees. User fees offer revenue and may decrease inappropriate care. However, user fees may deter needed care, especially in vulnerable populations. A cross-sectional analysis of healthcare utilization in a large Zambian hospital was conducted for children 3-6 years of age during a 1-month observation period. Diagnoses and treat...